Frozen Fire
by Alastrene 5
Summary: Before the Arisen, Grigori was just a normal dragon. He lived on his own and took care of himself. But when Grigori comes across and orphaned dragon hatchling, his life will be changed forever.
1. Chapter 1: The Hatchling

**Hi! I'm new to fanfiction, so this might not be the best I've ever done. But I hope you enjoy! Please review, and if you find something wrong, tell me.**

**I do not own Dragon's Dogma or any of it's characters. I only own the storyline and Irelia.**

**Notes: _italics _means it's basically a thought. '_Italics' _with apostrophes are telepathic thought that can be heard aloud.**

* * *

Grigori noticed two things at once. First, the scent of blood was everywhere. And second, the area in which he was flying was unusually quiet for a place where two adult dragons lived. These dragons normally had a new clutch of hatchlings every few years, so that was saying something.

_I smell death, _he thought.

Altering his course, Grigori flew toward the cave that the dragons lived in. It wasn't long before a lump of green-scaled flesh appeared between the trees; the male of the pair. Spears and lances protruded from his neck in a grisly collar. This was man's doing.

Grigori continued on his way to the cave. Having a good idea of what he would find, he entered without bothering to announce his presence.

It wasn't the body of the black-scaled female that surprised him; it was the limp forms of hatchlings that froze him in place. Their scales had been stripped off, leaving only meat and bones and making it impossible to make out their coloring.

Grigori flicked an ear as a scratching noise came deeper from within the cave. As he followed it, he became aware of another scent… That of a hatchling. A living hatchling.

He would have stepped on her had she not opened her white-blue eyes. With ebony scales, she blended in perfectly.

Squeaking, the little dragoness turned and ran. However, she wasn't very coordinated yet. She tripped over herself and crashed into the cave wall. It apparently didn't hurt much, because she immediately spun around and faced Grigori.

Only then did Grigori realize just how large he was; he was nearly too big to fit in the cave. The two horns atop his head scraped the ceiling, and he had to fold his wings tightly against his body.

Trying to make himself as least threatening as possible, he said, "I am a friend. I mean you no harm."

Tilting her head, the dragoness took a step forward.

Grigori didn't know what he would do with the little orphan. Dragons never cared for hatchling that weren't their own. But he knew what it was like to be alone. He'd never known his parents; the only family he had known was his sister. He had also lived alone on Tainted Mountain for hundreds of years.

"Do you have a name, little one?"

"Not… have… name," the hatchling struggled. She wasn't old enough to speak fluently, but she knew what his words meant.

"Ok… You can come with me, if you like," Grigori said slowly. He wasn't about to leave her alone, and there were no other dragons within a short flight.

The dragoness came closer. "You have name?"

"I am called Grigori." Lowering his massive neck to the ground, he sent a telepathic image to her. It took a moment for her to understand, but she got it. She made her way through the blackened chamber and balanced on her hind legs. She placed her hands up on his blood-red scales and, with a grunt of effort, began climbing.

It took a good ten minutes of her to reach the spikes running along his spine. "Ready," she said breathlessly.

Making sure he didn't crush her against the ceiling, Grigori made his way back to the main cavern.

A choked sob escaped from her as the hatchling's murdered family came into view. She may not have been old enough to speak correctly, but she certainly knew that she would never see them again. She put her hands over her eyes and curled her tail around a spike.

Grigori quickened his pace until they came to an outside ledge.

The baby dragon must have had a better sense of smell than he, for she knew they were there before he did.

"They come!" the hatchling said suddenly.

"Who's coming?"

Grigori couldn't say more. At that moment, an arrow pierced the air. It narrowly missed the hatchling's wide eyes.

With a fierce cry, several men plunged out of cover: they held swords, bows, and other human weapons. By the hatchling's expression, Grigori could tell that these were the humans who killed her parents and siblings.

Taking a deep breath, Grigori loosed a blast of flame at them. The few who survived dropped their weapons and fled into the forest.


	2. Chapter 2: Irelia

Night had fallen by the time Grigori returned to Tainted Mountain. The grand hall that sat at the end of the valley on the mountain peak served as his home. That's where he stored his treasure horde, which had steadily grown in size over the years.

The hatchling was silent the whole flight. She seemed fascinated with the world around her, so Grigori left her to gaze. Meanwhile, he tried to think of a name for her.

He landed in a large courtyard that had a path leading to two enormous doors. After speaking a word of magic, they opened, and then closed once he was through.

"Here we are," he said to the dragoness. Realizing she was too little to jump, he extended his right arm in front of him. She immediately climbed down, jumping the last few feet.

Grigori then got his first good look at her. She had glossy, deep-black scales that paled on her underbelly. Her claws and the spikes along her back were pure white, creating a stark contrast to the rest of her body. Two horns spiraled from the back of her skull.

What Grigori found most interesting though, was her eyes. They seemed white, with flashes of light blue here and there.

"There's a pool over there if you get thirsty," Grigori said, flicking an ear toward the corner of the huge chamber. The hatchling nodded, and then continued exploring.

Walking to the opposite side of the room, Grigori settled himself at the entrance to the room that held his treasure.

Several names crossed his mind as he observed the young dragon. He named some off to her, although she didn't like any of them.

Grigori thought for a while. Then another name came to him, one he hadn't heard in a long time. It was his sister's.

"Do you like Irelia?"

The little dragoness turned and nodded, purring as she did so.

And so Irelia learned her name.

* * *

After a few hours of exploration, Irelia suddenly became very tired. She curled up in a spot that wasn't far from Grigori and fell asleep almost instantly.

Grigori never fully went to sleep. He simply dozed and made sure Irelia was still there every so often. He also wondered why she didn't seem sad at all. She'd just watched her family get slaughtered, yet she seemed happy.

_Then again…_

He thought back to one of his last days with his sister. She had said, "Some things are better left forgotten…"

That had to be it. The memory must have been so painful that Irelia had forced herself to forget it.

The magical lights in the room dimmed. Grigori discovered that Irelia's scales weren't yet thick enough to protect her from the cold. Her inability to breathe fire didn't help either. She was soon shivering so hard that a few black scales fell to the floor.

Grigori was resting close enough to pick her up in his hand. He pulled her closer and laid her between his forelegs. He could breathe fire, so his scales were warm.

Irelia woke up for a few moments after being moved. She looked at Grigori and let out a yawn, showing razor-sharp fangs.

She purred and snuggled up to Grigori's warm scales, and then fell asleep soon after.

Over the next few months, Irelia didn't grow much in size, but her love for learning did. Grigori taught her different languages after she's mastered her own.

Grigori found that Irelia's personality was delightful. She was always happy and made the best of every situation. One of her favorite things to do was read some of the hundreds of books and scrolls Grigori collected.

Irelia was smart, especially for one her age. She was able to figure out nearly every riddle that was thrown at her.

"Mountains will crumble and temples will fall, and no man can escape its endless call," Grigori recited.

"Time," Irelia answered immediately.

"Good job."

They were outside, watching the sun set. Grigori was exhausted after a long hunt; he was stretched out full-length on a rock that had been warmed by the sun.

"Grigori, may I go explore?" Irelia inquired.

"Just don't go too far," he answered groggily.

"Will do." He was already asleep.

Irelia didn't go far. At least, not of her own free will.

Climbing down from the ledge, she walked along for a while, not caring where she went.

She didn't smell them. She didn't hear them. But as she turned to head back, Irelia found herself face-to-face with nine human hunters.


	3. Chapter 3: The Fall

Irelia froze in her tracks. They all had weapons drawn and smiles on their faces. One of them sat upon a horse that was easily five times bigger than she was.

"That should bring us a fair bit of gold, eh?" one of them said.

Without waiting to hear more, Irelia spun around and ran. The men yelled and gave chase. She hoped the noise would wake Grigori, but either he was too far away, or he was in a_ very_ deep slumber.

She thought she might be able to shake them if she could just run long enough.

A few minutes' run convinced her otherwise.

Irelia could run faster than a horse, but she had to get rid of it. She slowed her pace, allowing the horse and its rider to get closer. As soon as it was beside her, she snapped her right wing out, effectively tripping the horse and sending the rider flying.

Irelia didn't stop for a second; she kept going. But her lungs began to burn, and she had trouble moving her legs.

'_Grigori, wake up_!'

She repeatedly tried to contact him using telepathy, but there was no waking the enormous red dragon. The hunters were gaining on her, and, as Irelia was dismayed to discover, she'd reached the edge of a cliff.

Turning around, the dragoness faced her attackers. They formed a half-circle around her, blocking off any exit.

Smoke spilled out of her nostrils, as it normally did when she was frustrated. If only I could fly…

One of the men came closer, causing Irelia to back up even farther.

Had it been only Irelia on the ledge, it would have stayed put. But as the human approached, the rocks gave way; both dragon and man tumbled, leaving the group shouting in panic.

Irelia scratched without success at the cliff face, trying to get a hold.

Alas, she kept going, landing on a flat piece of rock much farther down. The moment it made contact with her left side, pain bolted through her whole body. She was unable to move, and her vision was flickering in and out.

From somewhere far above her, the voices of man grew quiet. She could smell the smoke from their campfire.

Irelia searched for Grigori's mind. Then she remembered something from a magic scroll she read a while back.

Focusing her entire being, she gathered the last of her strength in one place. Then she sent a blast of energy in Grigori's direction, sincerely hoping it would work.

The effort the spell required left Irelia unable to do anything but breathe. She couldn't even open her eyes.

She waited for what seemed like forever. But at last, she heard the sound of wing beats.

The air shook with the force of Grigori's roar. Two of the men jumped to their deaths, trying to escape the dragon's wrath. Flames lit up the night sky as he burned the rest alive.

Irelia could feel wind rush over her as Grigori lowered himself to her position on the cliff face.

"Little one," he murmured.

Irelia was finally able to open her eyes. Grigori held his hand out, but as the dragoness tried to rise, pain flashed through her body again. She let out a weak cry and collapsed back down.

Grigori's red eyes started to glow, and a light appeared in his hand. Once he had cast the spell, Irelia began to feel sleepy. Her body went numb as well, erasing the pain.

Through her tiredness, she was aware that she had been picked up and was now being carried away. The last thing she heard was Grigori saying, "Sleep well, my dear. I shall be here when you wake."

* * *

Grigori was terribly angry with himself for not watching over Irelia more closely. He'd been jolted from sleep when a wave of energy had pulsed through his body.

He felt Irelia's barely conscious mind and flew to her aid as fast as his wings would carry him. Now, two days later, Irelia was still asleep. The sleep spell Grigori had used should've worn off by then.

There was another matter that worried him: humans hadn't come to Tainted Mountain in hundreds of years. Just as he began to think about it, the young dragon at his side stirred. He turned his attention to her, forgetting everything else.

"How do you feel?" he asked.

Irelia looked around with a confused expression before answering. "Very sore." She paused and sniffed the air. "And hungry."

"Hmph. You just ate two days ago," Grigori chuckled.

Irelia glanced at him with a playful glint in her eyes. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm always hungry, and that's that."

Grigori was reluctant to leave her alone, but he couldn't let her go hungry. Carefully moving around her injured form, he left the hall.

After finding two deer stuck in the valley, he made quick work of them and hurried home.

* * *

In the days that followed, Irelia became increasingly frustrated with her inability to move. No bones were broken, but her muscles just refused to cooperate.

It was the most agitated Grigori had ever seen her. Although she never complained, he knew she hated staying in one place for long.

Things got better a month later, though. Irelia was able to walk around, but she tired quickly.

It would take time for her to heal completely.


	4. Chapter 4: Fire in the Sky

Irelia went through a huge growth spurt when she was a year old. Having grown four times her original size in a span of about three weeks, she was almost strong enough to fly.

Grigori sniffed at her wings approvingly. "I should think you'll be a fine flyer," he said.

"That's what Mother used to say," Irelia replied wistfully.

Her response startled Grigori. Irelia never spoke of her family, nor did she seem to wonder why she lived with him now.

Grigori often took Irelia hunting with him now. Irelia would use her natural speed and agility to chase a group of animals in Grigori's direction, where they would meet his massive claws.

* * *

"Are you ready?" Grigori asked.

Irelia and Grigori stood atop one of the tallest parts of Tainted Mountain.

"No." Irelia was staring with wide eyes at the valley below.

"All young dragons must take flight sometime," Grigori said. "Don't worry. I won't let you fall."

"Ok…" Irelia agreed reluctantly. Without another word, she leaped off the cliff. Grigori followed, instructing her as she dropped through the air.

"Use both wings at the same time!" he called.

Doing what she was told, Irelia was eventually able to level out. She pulled her legs under her and flew higher.

Grigori flew directly below her, ready to catch her should she fall. "Enjoy," he said.

"Enjoy?" Irelia laughed. "This is wonderful!" Giggling with delight, she twirled in midair and tried to hover. It was difficult, but she managed. "I can see everything!" she purred.

They flew for a few more hours before Irelia grew tired. She landed on Grigori's back, out of breath, but content.

* * *

"Grigori, there are humans outside."

"What?"

"They're just outside the doors. I can hear them," Irelia stated.

Now fully awake from his nap, Grigori listened closely. She was right: there were voices outside, trying to find a way to open the magically sealed doors.

"Stay here," Grigori ordered.

Irelia watched as he got up and lumbered to the entrance. She wanted to help, but she knew better than to object.

As Grigori's tail disappeared, a shadow slipped through the doorway. It made its way toward the treasure room, although when it saw Irelia, it stopped dead.

How a human had managed to sneak past Grigori was beyond Irelia.

The man just stared at her and didn't move an inch. The dark clothing he was dressed in was strangely familiar to Irelia.

A memory came to her, though she didn't know it was hers. She was in a cave with a group of other dragons. Two were adults, the other three were hatchlings. The larger of the adults was emerald-green; the smaller was black-scaled. The hatchlings were playing with one another. The smallest looked like their father, while the other two were dark gray.

It was peaceful until humans flooded into the cave while the little ones were playing. They all wore the same dark armor as the man did now.

Returning to the real world, Irelia saw the man had drawn his sword. She had never really been angry before. But she was now. The image of those hatchlings being murdered made something within her snap.

The human raised his weapon and charged at Irelia. Waiting for him to get close, she took a deep breath…

And loosed an inferno upon her assailant. He screamed as soon as the flames hit him; the sword in his hand fell with a clatter. He dropped to the ground, fire still coating his body.

When a loud crash came from outside, Irelia knew Grigori was fighting. She sat away from the burning corpse and waited for him to finish.

It wasn't long before Grigori came back through the doors with blood staining his claws. He paused when he saw the burning man in the center of the room, with Irelia not far away.

He waited until the fire died out and all that was left was ashes. Turning to Irelia, he asked, "Did you breathe first fire?"

Irelia purred and nodded, enjoying the warmth flooding through her body.

Grigori came over to her and touched his snout to hers. "You're a true dragon now."


	5. Chapter 5: By Fate's Decree

**Yes, I know it's a big time gap, but it was necessary. Also, I apologize beforehand if you are angry with this and the next chapter. :( **

* * *

One hundred years passed without event. Irelia grew to be about the size of Grigori's head, not counting the length of her tail.

Irelia was now able to fly faster than Grigori, beating him in every race they had.

Normally, a hatchling would be kicked out of its home when it breathed first fire. But Grigori had grown to love the one he cared for as his own. He wouldn't force her away, but he wouldn't trap her into staying, either. The ebony-scaled dragoness showed no signs of leaving, though, so he was happy.

During one of her many explorations of the valley, Irelia met a bear. It was old and not very smart. He often said one word twice in a row.

"What you want, dragon-dragon?" he asked.

Irelia simply smiled and took a step forward. It was smaller than she was, and could do her no real harm.

"What-what? You challenge me? You die today-today!"

With a laugh, Irelia jumped into the air. She hovered above the bear, who kept shouting at her to come down. "I think not-not," she teased. She toyed with him for a while longer before going home.

Grigori was napping when she returned. After getting a drink from the pool, Irelia settled down beside him. Without really meaning to, she fell asleep as well.

* * *

Irelia awoke to the sound of yelling. Grigori was awake; he had his body tightly curled around her, but he was staring at the doors.

"Grigori," Irelia yawned. "What's that?"

"Humans. And by the sound of it, there are many."

If she listened carefully, Irelia could hear a man ranting on about "slaying the beasts".

"They've come for us again," Irelia said. She had never trusted humans. In truth, they terrified her. She didn't know why, though. It had always been that way. Besides, she was too young to face humans. Even a small group of men could probably overpower her with little effort.

"Listen to me, Irelia," Grigori said, turning to look her in the eyes. "I want you to climb onto by back. The moment we're outside, fly away. Go somewhere safe." He paused. "Ok, little one?"

In a shaking voice, Irelia said, "Will do." Getting up from her crouched position, she clambered onto Grigori's back. "Ready."

Heaving himself off the ground, Grigori made his way to the doors. He spoke the passphrase to open it.

The men fell silent at his thundering steps.

There were about two hundred of them covering nearly every inch of the courtyard. Grigori said something Irelia didn't quite hear as they drew their weapons at the same time.

"**Go now!**" he bellowed.

Flinching at his voice, Irelia took off, but she was a second too late.

As she rose up above the soldiers, pain bit into her right arm. She blew fire at them, dropping a small group. Roaring, she flew higher.

When she was out of range of the mortals' weapons, she twisted to see what had hit her.

A long, thin dagger protruded from her scales. Just looking at it sent shivers through her; it was made of dragon bone.

Irelia found the nearest rock and scraped her arm against it. The dagger snapped, but as she was horrified to realize, it was hollow- and filled with poison.

Her whole body began to burn as it entered her bloodstream. But, despite the pain, she continued on. She rose above the clouds and flew away as quickly as possible.

Irelia didn't know where she was, nor did she care. Her body burned as if she'd fallen into an active volcano.

She was making no effort at all to fly now. It felt better to just glide, letting the wind carry it where it willed. Inspecting her surroundings, she spotted a lake.

By trick of fate, Irelia's wings gave out over the lake's center. She splashed into the water, grateful for something that supported her weight. The freezing-cold water helped to numb her burning limbs.

She dipped her head below the water and stayed that way for as long as her need for air let her. When she finally came back up, it was all she could do to keep her head above the surface. She closed her eyes and floated along.

The dragoness wondered how Grigori was faring._ I hope he hasn't been poisoned._

When Irelia reached the lake's shore, she opened her white-blue eyes.

_It's so peaceful here… almost like… home._

All the memories she'd forced to the back of her mind when she was little came back to her. She remembered her mother and father, her sister and two brothers.

Irelia remembered playing with her siblings the day the men came and killed them.

The next memory was of Grigori. He'd almost stepped on her; his presence had scared Irelia, mainly because of his size. But she could tell when someone was lying, and Grigori wasn't. She trusted him more than anybody.

Now Irelia knew why she was afraid of humans, as well as why the one in dark clothes made her angry. Having realized what she had been lacking, she smiled, closed her eyes, and waited for Grigori.

_He will come for me… He always comes…_


	6. Chapter 6: Beneath a Starlit Sky

Grigori took flight the instant the last human fell to the ground. He'd received numerous injuries, but he didn't care.

He killed the man who threw the dagger at Irelia first. The dagger itself wouldn't kill her, but there was a strange scent on the man… The scent of poison.

Irelia's scent was faint on the wind. It took a great deal of concentration for Grigori to be able to tell which way she went.

_Please… Let her be alright._

Grigori wondered what had made Irelia hesitate to leave. She had stared at the men with a terrified look until he roared for her to go.

The battle left Grigori exhausted. For hours, he had burned, eaten, and magically destroyed the humans.

_I can't think about that now! I have to find Irelia!_

The clouds had dispersed and night had fallen before he finally found her.

Grigori's heart nearly stopped beating as he looked upon her limp form. She was laying on the shore of a lake, barely clinging to life.

The foul stench of poison was everywhere.

"Irelia!" Grigori exclaimed. Ha landed and lowered his head to hers.

Irelia opened her eyes. "You… came…" she said.

"Of course I came." As Grigori stared into her eyes, he realized there was nothing he could do to save her. No one could. And they both knew it. "Are you in much pain," he asked in a gentle voice.

"No pain… But I feel a chill…"

Grigori curled himself around Irelia, just as he did when she was cold or couldn't sleep.

"I… remember now." Irelia said.

"Remember what?"

"My family… I had a sister and two brothers. We were playing together when the men came." She went silent as she gazed up at the stars.

A strange sensation caused Grigori to blink several times.

"That's the first time…" Irelia murmured.

"What?"

"That's the first time I've seen you cry," she finished.

Tears started to stream down his muzzle as Grigori heard her answer; he pulled her closer to him. In a quivering voice, he said, "You needed me and I could not save you."

A few moments of silence passed.

"It doesn't matter…" Irelia said with a smile. "You came… I couldn't ask for more." She closed her eyes and rested her head on Grigori's arm, out of breath.

Grigori listened to the sound of Irelia's heart beating. It gradually began to slow until, as she took a final, shuddering breath, it finally came to a stop.

"_Te amo, parvus. Requiem est_." (I love you, little one. Rest well.)

Lifting his head, Grigori released a long, sorrowful roar into the wind. It echoed off the mountains surrounding him, scaring the sleeping birds from the trees.

He got up when Irelia's body grew cold.

_I won't let her stay here. Not where some filthy human will sell her scales for gold and make weapons from her bones._

He picked her body up and began the long flight back to Tainted Mountain.

Grigori landed on one of the peaks that wasn't accessible by foot. After digging a circular pit into the ground, he placed Irelia's body within it. With her peaceful expression, it looked as if she were only sleeping…

Grigori could stand it no more. He quickly filled the hole with dirt and set a magical barrier around the grave, so that he was the only creature able to reach it.

A sense of anger crashed over him, and it didn't leave.

He took off, flying toward the hall. As the doors opened, he ripped them from their hinges. He tore down pillars and walls, burying his treasure horde within. When he's pulled that to the ground, he went to the towers that were connected to the courtyard. He slammed into them, punching holes into the walls.

Grigori eventually collapsed, utterly spent. His angry mind held but one thought: They would pay. They would _all_ pay for the foolish decision of one man to attack Irelia.

* * *

**In case you didn't know, Grigori speaks Latin. I put a translation by the Latin line in this chapter, to save people from having to look it up.**


	7. Chapter 7: The Final Battle part 1

**If you haven't played Dragon's Dogma, or haven't gotten to fight Grigori, I would recommend going to Youtube and looking up "Dragon's Dogma Grigori Boss Battle (No loading screens)" if you can.**

* * *

**Several lifetimes come to pass…**

* * *

Grigori was waiting at the place the doors used to be. The Arisen would come soon; Grigori had captured his beloved to ensure it.

He probably would have come anyway. After all, Grigori had stolen the man's heart. If he wanted it back, he'd have to fight for it.

"Take up arms, Arisen… For my kind do not heed the toothless."

* * *

A tall man walked into the damaged courtyard. He wore armor of steel, and a red cape blew in the wind. A long shield was strapped to his back.

He was followed by three Pawns. One was female, dressed in red mages' garb. The other two were male, dressed in much the same way as their Master.

Lifting his head from the ground, Grigori began to speak.

"What is your purpose here, Arisen? If you sought to live, you had naught but run and hide yourself away." He paused as a group of red-skinned goblins entered, tormenting a human woman and chasing her closer to the dragon. "But then, tell me, child of man… What does it mean to live, in truth?"

The Arisen began to take a step toward his beloved, but thought better of it. If the dragon wanted to kill her, he would have done so by now.

"To wage war against the passing of days?" Grigori continued. "To pray to the unseen for a few breaths more? To raise grand cities from stone, and spawn new life in turn?"

He slowly rose up on his back legs, grabbing the wall for balance. "Mankind has done this, yes, and more. But is the tapestry you weave truly of your own design?" He turned his head to look at the goblins, who had chased the woman to the courtyard's center.

One of them said, "We eats when 'ungry an' we sleep when tired of eatin'! We kills 'em as we wants 'em dead!"

"Their kind is easy to fathom," Grigori said, his voice full of disgust. "They go on living from simple fear of death." He drew his head back and let out a massive roar, causing to woman to fall and the goblins to scatter. Only the woman was left in front of him.

"But not mankind." Dropping to the ground, Grigori began to stalk towards her. "Some welcome the end with arms outstretched, while others come to face death incarnate, arms in hand." He stomped on the ground, tripping the human as he came up behind her.

"I ask again, what is your purpose here, Arisen? One path to your survival lies in my defeat. Still my heart, and you stay the coming end," Grigori challenged.

"Another path before you… is to offer up that which you hold most dear." He glared at the woman, who had gotten up and was now backing away. "Abandon all delusions of control."

The human started to run, but Grigori inhaled and blew a fireball in her direction. It hit the ground just behind her, throwing her forward. She landed with a thump in the middle of a ring of fire.

"For the price of a single life, I shall leave this land in peace," Grigori said. "As my vanquisher, the duchy would bow to you."

Raising his wings around the flames, he continued, "Wealth and power are sweet anodyne for heartache…" He disagreed with his own words.

"You'll not gainsay my terms are more than generous. If it matters aught, the man who rules this land now won that honor through just such a bargain."

The flames died away. "The decision is yours, Arisen. Now, choose!"

The man stood motionless for a while.

"I fear I have no words, Master," the female Pawn said.

Shaking his head, the Arisen moved to stand between the dragon and his beloved.

"You would face me then?" Grigori rumbled. "'Tis a fool's choice, Arisen."

He stopped, thinking. "But better fool than craven. I knew your mind ere you came… Still, I ask this final time. Arisen, will you stand and fight?"

"Yes," the man said in a deep voice.

"Your choice is made, Arisen! As you have willed it, so it shall be!" Rising up and beating his wings, Grigori roared and slammed back down, causing rocks from far above to fall. They almost crushed the frail, human bodies.

Through the onslaught, Grigori could see the Arisen nodding to his beloved. Without a word, she got up and ran.

If only Irelia had done the same…

He couldn't think about that now. Focusing on the matter at hand, he roared again as the Arisen and his Pawns escaped down a passage connected to the courtyard.

Grigori jumped forward and followed. The hallway was long, but he crushed most of it; he was far too big to actually fit. His jaws filled with fire, and, as he sprayed it over the walls, the Arisen was nearly caught in the blast.

But as they reached the end of the passage, Grigori found a problem: the last wall wouldn't go down. As he threw his weight against it, his head was tossed forward, knocking over the Arisen and two Pawns.

"We can fight him here," the female said.

As Grigori pulled himself up, he readied his fire. Once he'd built up enough power, he exhaled and swept his head from side-to-side, hitting everything in front of him.

The Arisen attacked with his sword, doing little harm to his scales.

Grigori slammed against the wall again, but to no avail; it remained where it was. The Arisen used magic on his sword, so when he brought it down, stones flew up around them, hitting Grigori's head and eyes. Momentarily blinded, he countered with fire while the man and Pawns slashed at his jaws. All of the Pawns were hit by the flames.

When the Arisen went to help them, Grigori drew back and threw himself at the wall once more. It finally gave out, clearing a path for him. He rushed forward and, as he did so, his wing clipped the Arisen under the chin, knocking him over.

_'Show me your power, Arisen. Awaken now in full!'_

Grigori still had very little room to attack. So, when one of them came close, he either breathed fire at them or stomped his foot into the ground, causing them to fall over.

'_This is not fate, nor duty's call. This battle is your own, waged of your own free will._'

Sweeping his arm around, he clawed a Pawn away from his hind legs. He sensed the Arisen about to use magic behind him, so he prepared himself.

'_If you lack the strength to stay my fire… To stay the fated ruin… Then all shall scatter as ash._'

The man behind him unleashed a Holy Furor attack. It didn't little to harm the dragon, as he resisted holy magic, but it stung his feet where it hit.

With the Arisen bent over and gasping for breath, Grigori turned to the exit. Pushing the flimsy wall away, he crouched below and opening in the ceiling. He flew up, leaving the others behind.

'_Now, come, Arisen!_'


	8. Chapter 8: The Final Battle part 2

Grigori waited on a ledge just above the bridge that connected the towers he'd partially destroyed years before. As the Arisen and his Pawns started across the bridge, he wondered if this would be the day he was finally defeated. He had made many Arisen before, and they were either torn apart by his claws or they sacrificed a loved one so they could live.

When the human made it far enough across, Grigori growled loudly and jumped down from his perch. He took off when they started sprinting to the towers.

Pulling ahead, Grigori pulled parts of the bridge up as he passed. He circled back and breathed hot flame at the Arisen, more to scare him than anything.

As they reached the first tower, Grigori landed on another that they couldn't get to.

'_Heed well this place, Arisen. Know the frailty of the works of man. This hold once stood proud and firm. 'Twas the foolish decision of a man too weak that brought it down._'

"We'll retreat to that tower," a Pawn said, pointing to the one the dragon wasn't on. "We can strike him from the rooftop!"

Grigori waited until they got halfway across the second bridge before lifting off. He cut them off by landing in front of them and spitting fire at them.

One of the Pawns was foolish enough to grab onto his arm. Grigori took off again, bringing the Pawn with him. He growled and hovered until the soulless thing fell.

He nearly died. And he would have, had the Arisen not turned back and revived him.

When they reached the battle tower, Grigori circled it and put another whole into the wall. From above him, at the top, he heard, "Give him a taste of the ballista!"

Flying up, Grigori hovered in front of the gawking human before going over them.

'_Fight! Cling to life!_'

As he made a wide circle, he saw that both of the ballista had been mounted; one by the Arisen and the other by the female Pawn.

The Pawn's shot missed by a mile. But the man's hit home: it hit Grigori directly in the heart. He roared and curled up in midair before altering his course to the tower.

With his keen dragon eyes, Grigori could see a surprised look on the Arisen's face. _If he thinks it's that easy to kill me, he's sadly mistaken._

When the man realized what Grigori was about to do, he ran… to the edge of the tower. The red dragon crashed into it, intending to swallow him whole. However, he jumped at the last second and landed on Grigori's tail, using the spikes to hang on.

'_Hmph… Pitiable wingless human… Return to the earth!_'

The Arisen made good progress climbing up Grigori's back until they met a group of harpies. The dragon roared and clawed at them to clear them away, sending the human back to where he started.

'_Your life… Your very heart rests here within me…_'

Grigori tilted his body to avoid a cliff, sending the Arisen back again. It happened once more as he leveled out, but flew upward almost vertically.

'_Aye, reclaim that which you have lost… Take back your life… The surge of blood that tethers you to this world… It awaits you, Arisen, yearning here within me…_'

They flew straight again, just as the man reached the weak spot on Grigori's back. When he reached the tallest spike, he slashed at the glowing spot with his sword.

Grigori roared as the human was tossed into the air. He flew down and came up under him as he plummeted down. Opening his enormous jaws, he intended to eat him again.

But somehow, the Arisen avoided once more, going past his head and clutching to his chest.

He drew his sword and stabbed it into his chest, completely opening the scar that ran down it.

Grigori's blood flew everywhere as he fell. He tried to right himself, but the wind forced his wings down.

He landed with enough force to shake the entire mountain. But he still lived. He wasn't finished yet.

The Arisen had fallen with him; he'd been thrown a little bit away.

The Pawns, who had disappeared at the tower, revealed themselves from their traveling portals.

'_The hour for turning back is past. The world will have its answer: you or me? Death, or life beyond?_'

Grigori now knew what it must have been like for Irelia when she fell. His muscles ached as he struggled to get up, although he was able to move.

Facing the group, he shook her from his mind. As his foes came close, he readied his fire and stomped when they came under him. His heart was openly exposed now, and with it, his only real weakness.

'_If you would gain aught, give your all here and now! Such is the contest you have chosen._'

He grabbed one of the Pawns and lifted him into the air. "Hollow vessel in the form of man, heed the will of your new master…" When he finally let go, the Pawn turned and tried to attack the Arisen.

He said, "Keep your distance, Master! I am not myself!"

Grigori's distraction had left him vulnerable. The Arisen was now clinging to his chest, hacking away at his heart.

The Pawn he possessed had since fallen, breaking his control.

'_Aye, raise your weapon… Your teeth of steel, you blood-red voice…_'

He tried to get the man off, but as he reached for him, his claws closed on thin air. He was too far back for him to reach.

'_Show me your power, Arisen! Prove yourself worthy of what lies beyond my corpse!_'

The Arisen made a mistake then: he climbed too far up the dragon's chest. Grigori caught him in his claws and said aloud, "Show that you possess the strength to still my heart. The will to do it. The soul!" With that, he smashed to man into the ground.

When Grigori let go, he spun in a circle, hitting everyone behind him with his tail and everyone below him with his feet.

'_Slay me, and with me death itself. Stay the fires of destruction!_'

After a few minutes of very little damage done to the dragon, he said, "Have you come so far to be stricken with cowardice, Arisen? You have chosen your path! There is naught beyond this moment for those who will not give themselves whole to their cause."

One of the Pawns jumped and scored a hit on his heart while he was breathing fire. "'Tis the will of the master that shapes the soulless Pawn. You've trained them well, Arisen."

After clearing everything away with his tail, Grigori took off and flew to a nearby rock ledge and lowered himself onto it.

He roared and beat his wings as his pursuers tried to follow.

'_This battle you have begun sits at the very heart of all creation._'


	9. Chapter 9: The Final Battle part 3

After blowing a fireball his way, Grigori watched as the human man ran to the ballista that happened to be there. The dragon rose up and circled the battlefield.

'_Show that you possess power fit to best me, or your world is forfeit unto ruin._'

As the human reached the ballista, Grigori flew toward it, intending to destroy it. '_The one you refused to offer up shall die, as sure as the rest._'

They didn't get his heart this time. Instead, two shots were fired into his wings, causing him to crash into the ground.

All of the Pawns attacked him at once. Electricity hit his head, and the scales on his legs were being chipped off with greatswords.

After getting up, Grigori jumped back, far away from them.

'_Come, Arisen…_'

He stood up in his back legs and unfurled his wings for balance. A white-hot glow surrounded his jaws, blinding those who looked at it directly.

'_If you are truly awakened unto the world, you shall weather the fires of perdition unscathed!_'

A thunder-like sound filled the air as he released the attack. It was one massive fireball that separated into three more when it hit the ground.

The Arisen was the only one that made safely under the dragon; all of the Pawns were hit. They fell down, but once again, they were revived.

Grigori lowered himself, speaking words of magic. He came back up, roaring as a glorious Holy Furor attack was unleashed; it was nearly identical to the Arisen's, only it was much larger.

'_Surpass me, if you would truly be the one to take up the endless chain._'

Sweeping his arm in front of him, he grasped the Arisen in his claws. But before he could crush the man, the female Pawn cast a spell.

The earth beneath Grigori's feet exploded, throwing rocks and dirt into the air. He dropped the man in his hand, who sprinted up to his lowered chest and grabbed on.

Pain shocked through Grigori's body as the Arisen slashed at his heart.

'_Yes… I remember now. This sensation, this pain… I know it well. This battle is mine, just as it is yours. It is one I began long ago!_'

Things were made worse for him. Every time he would do damage, they would eat a strange plant that would heal them, or the female Pawn would use a healing spell. Grigori had no way to heal himself.

He grabbed another Pawn, the female this time. "Hollow vessel in the form of man-"

He was cut off as the pain in his chest grew stronger. He reared up and fell back down, hoping to crush one of those blasted Pawns. But they and the Arisen jumped clear, though.

Struggling to lift himself up, Grigori slipped once before rising. He eyes began to glow and he roared, draining the Pawn's energy. They fell to their knees while the Arisen jumped onto the dragon's chest. He was caught though, and smashed into the ground.

A strange sensation came over Grigori then. The pain left; he blinked and found himself on a ledge far above where he was just at. He could see the battle still going on below him. His body still moved and attacked the small forms around him. But his soul had temporarily left his body. Why, he did not know.

Just then, a heavenly scent filled the air around Grigori. He turned to see a mist beside him. It slowly took the shape of a small dragon.

_Irelia!_

Her ghost looked at him with glimmering eyes. She nodded at him and turned to watch the battle below.

_What is your purpose in this, Grigori?_ Irelia asked.

_I… Work to avenge your death, _he answered honestly.

Irelia turned to look at him with sad eyes. _Honor demands only so much… _

It took a moment to comprehend her statement's meaning. She wanted him to stop.

He turned to watch the battle as well. It seemed the human man was having trouble now that the good part of Grigori's soul had left.

_Once if finish this battle, I shall stop. I promise_, he said.

Irelia's ghost looked at him from the corner of her eye, as if she knew something he didn't. She nodded and disappeared, much to Grigori's dismay.

He blinked again and was back in his body. The pain was worse now. He jumped back, putting space between him and the Arisen. _She didn't care for vengeance… _

Grigori spun around as they approached, hitting them all with his tail. Then he brought up his glowing hand and cast a spell.

Ten meteors fell from the sky, and even though they didn't score a hit, they hampered the human man's progress.

When the Pawns recovered, he beat his wings, blowing them back down. But as he did, he failed to notice the Arisen directly below his heart.

The man jumped and stabbed his sword into the dragon's heart, causing him roar in pain. As he reared up, he said, '_Yes, this fire! This pain!_'

He fell to the ground, and this time, the Arisen came with him. The human found it extraordinarily hard to breathe after being hit squarely in the chest by a dragon's claw.

'_The hurt you visit upon me is the selfsame pain I once inflicted!_'

After struggling into a standing position, Grigori walked straight towards the group, as if attacking them head-on. When they were close, he jumped back and blew a fireball at his previous location.

The female Pawn evaded it and immediately healed the others.

Grigori began to get frustrated. _They just won't stay down…_

He dashed backward; he stood up and flared his wings. This time, instead of aiming right at the puny things, he shot the white fireball behind them. Then he flapped his mighty wings and sent them flying back into the inferno.

When Grigori came back down, he growled. The Arisen was already making his way over.

The red dragon jumped up when all of them were near and slammed all of his weight into the ground. The Pawns fell, but the Arisen only staggered.

While Grigori readied another Holy Furor spell, the man began to slash at his heart. Waves of pain flew through his body as his heart transferred the damage to the rest of him.

The spell knocked the Arisen away. He breathed fire at the Pawns, setting them ablaze. They still would not permanently fall.

The Arisen got up and raised his sword into the air; it became cloaked in shadows.

The dragon was beginning to stumble when he moved. The man ate one more of his healing herbs before running up to him.

Grigori let out an earsplitting screech as the sword was plunged into his heart. He thrashed his head, breathing fire at no one in particular. With a final roar, he collapsed onto his side.

The sword had fallen out and was already back in the man's hand. He didn't attack though; he sheathed it, and his Pawns did the same.

They sky turned gray and began to swirl with dust. The Arisen turned around and looked up, trying to find a reason for it.

Grigori groaned and tried to speak. "Stubborn child… Whate'er meaning life holds… It makes men deaf to all reason…" he said. "Heed me well, Arisen. In my death, you've won a future for this world… But what that future spells for you… For all men… Is a truth you'll find staring back from this world's utmost depths…"

Using telepathy once more, Grigori gave the human a vision of Grand Soren. As he watched, the city began to crumble as Everfall opened up from below. Several houses and building disintegrated.

"Arisen…" Grigori said, startling the man. "You have earned back what is yours!"

His eyes started to glow as he used his last bit of magic to return this human's heart, along with all the others.

"Your life belongs now to no other. You've won it by rights… It is yours to use or cast away as you see fit. Remember that…"

Far away, at Grand Soren's castle, the Duke crumpled to his knees as his heart was returned. His skin wrinkled and he became a frail old man.

Back at Tainted Mountain, Grigori was struggling to breathe. He muttered something, but only the Arisen heard it. He said, "My dear Irelia… I'm coming…"

Grigori lifted his enormous head and released a weak roar.

With that, he began to dissolve into dust, and the great dragon Grigori was no more.


	10. Chapter 10: Epilogue

It had been a week since the battle at Tainted Mountain. Many of Grand Soren's people were now homeless because Everfall had opened up.

The Arisen was walking along the road to Grand Soren, preparing to head into the Everfall. He had a long way to go, so he camped out for the night. His Pawns were waiting for him at the capital; he had told them to protect the city from anything that came from the Everfall.

He pondered the dragon's last words: "My dear Irelia… I'm coming…"

Storied written in books alleged that before the dragon, called Grigori, launched an attack on mankind, he's lived quietly by himself on Tainted mountain.

The humans sent there to slay him often never returned. One, did although he died a little while later.

"There's another!" he said. "Small, black, but he protects it!" He went on raving about his horse getting killed and his friends falling off a cliff.

The story didn't mention a name, though. It simply said that the black dragon disappeared one day, and was never seen again. Only after this happened did Grigori begin his onslaught.

The Arisen wondered if the black dragon was Irelia before going to sleep.

* * *

The Arisen was woken up at around midnight. It took him a moment to figure out why: he could hear the sound of a dragon's wingbeats. The air around him became very warm.

Trying to decipher which way the noise was coming from, the Arisen jumped up and drew his sword.

Two separate anomalies appeared in front of him. One was enormous, while the other was a great deal smaller.

A voice that the man knew all too well sounded. "Stay your weapons. We would speak to you, Arisen."

It was Grigori, the dragon who had stolen his heart.

The anomalies formed into the shape of dragons. Grigori looked exactly the same, although there was no longer a scar on his chest.

The Arisen turned to the smaller dragon beside him. She had black scales and white eyes. Her face held a friendly smile.

"But… I killed you!" he said to Grigori.

Grigori tilted his faintly see-through head. "You may have slain my body, but my soul remains untouched.

Sheathing his sword, the Arisen cautiously walked up to the smaller dragon. Grigori followed his every movement, but remained where he was.

Staring into her eyes, he asked, "Are you Irelia?"

"I was," Irelia's ghost said. "But no more."

"What happened?"

"I died," she said simply.

The man was beginning to understand.

"Now you see, Arisen," Grigori said. "Long ago, before you or any others came along, I found an orphaned hatchling. I took her in, and for over a hundred years, cared for her as my own. Her name was Irelia."

"'Twas man's doing," Irelia explained. "I hesitated to leave when Grigori told me to.

Grigori nodded. "When soldiers attacked my grand hall, I told her to run. One of them threw a poison-filled dagger at her. I think you can figure out the rest."

"I'm sorry," the Arisen said. "I truly am." He reached out to Irelia, surprised when his hand touched warm, solid scales.

"Don't apologize for something you have nothing to be sorry for."

The man still felt terrible. He now understood why Grigori had told him to choose between his beloved and living. He had the one thing he cared about in the world torn away from him. And it was all man's fault.

"You are going into the Everfall, are you not?" Irelia asked, bringing him back to reality.

The Arisen nodded. He wondered how the dragoness had known her was going, but kept his questions silent.

"Then I come baring a gift to you, Arisen," she said.

The human stared at her, astonished.

"Yes, yes, I know," Irelia said. "You thought dragons are always greedy and hostile, right?" She raised her left hand, as if casting a spell.

"As I said before, Arisen, my kind do not heed the toothless," Grigori stated. "Now you'll have a true weapon.

The glow in Irelia's hand shifted; it was a sword. She breathed incorporeal flame at it, lighting up the night even further.

When the flames died out, the sword floated in the air.

"Well done, little one," Grigori murmured affectionately.

"This is the dragonforged Dragon's Dogma, Arisen. Use it well," Irelia said. The blade was slightly serrated, and the hilt was shaped like dragon wings.

"Thank you," the man stuttered as he examined the sword. "Not that I'm complaining…" he said. "But why are you giving me this?"

Irelia tilted her head. "I have two reasons. First, you've earned it; you killed a mighty dragon, one that was feared by all. And second: there is an undead dragon within the Everfall that you should be weary of. This blade might aid you if you are unlucky enough to come across him."

"Thank you," the Arisen said again, unable to express just how thankful he was. As he grasped Dragon's Dogma in his hand, Grigori and Irelia began to fade.

"Wait!" the human man called. "Where are you going?"

Grigori looked him in the eyes and shook his massive head. "We've no place in this world anymore, Arisen. It is time to see the new one that awaits us."

Irelia brushed her now insubstantial wing over the Arisen. "Goodbye," she said cheerily. "Maybe we'll meet again someday!"

At that, both dragons faded completely and the warmth faded.

Somewhere up above, two more stars appeared in the sky.


End file.
